Apparatus for controlling chemical reactions



Sept. 7, 1937. T. B. PRICKETT APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING CHEMICAL REACTIONS Filed Feb. l, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 s F/GJ oonceooooooooouoonoooaooov oooooanaooacooouoooeoooooa' ocooooooouooooooalMlNlolMlMlooooa n 1L.. llllllll l 1m .lpll -I l 1|-.. n

Sept. 7, 1937.

' T. B. F'RICKETT` APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING CHEMICAL REACTIONS vFiled Feb. 1, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. '7, 1937 UNITED STATES APPARATUS FOB CONTROLLING CHEMICAL REACTIONS Thomas B. Prickett, Woodbury, N. J., assignor'to Hendry Process Corporation, Dover, Del., a oorporation of Delaware Application February 1 1935,V semi No. I,4,505- 15 om. (ci. 'za-zas) This invention relates to converters for eil'ecting. chemical reactions. either exothermic or endothermic, in the presence of contact masses which assist, promote or induce the reactions. 5 More particularly it involves'converters having perforated conduits embedded in the contact,

mass for distributing the reactants within the mass land/or for removing the products of the reactions from within the mass. In certain re- ]0 speets it may be considered to include improvements upon or further developments of the invention disclosed in the copending application of James W.Harrison, Ser. No. 712,203 filed Feb. 20, 1934 entitled Reaction chambers for contact masses which issued on March 5, 1935 as Patent Among the'objects of the invention are to reduce heat losses through the converter wall, to avoid external heating or cooling of the converter wall, to protect the converter shell against high temperatures, to maintain the marginal portion of the contact mass within the temperature range of the reaction, to proportion the distribution of reactants and/or the venting of products to such smaller or irregular volumes of the mass as maybe produced in the converter, and in general to improve prior arrangementsA in the interest of more eiilcient and satisfactory operation. y

In converters arranged for parallel flow of uids through the mass between perforated inlet and outlet Aconduits symmetrically disposed within the reaction chamber, distribution of ow of fluids should be in proportion to the quantities of the contact mass involved so as to eect unlformity of operation throughout the mass. This is essential during a transforming operation to insure a good product and a high yield and it is equally essential during a regenerating operation 0 in order that the entire mass in all cross sectional areas thereof may be properly regenerated or reactivated during the same time period. However it is impossible to have identical amounts of catalyst or contact mass for each conduit or tube, or identical conditions of duid movement for all parts of the mass. The chosen pattern or arrangement of conduits to be embedded in the contact mass will seldom if ever, match the internal contour of a conventional container and the use oi' space occupying or illler pieces or dummies to improve this situation will still not give an equal volume of contact mass per conduit around all of the conduits. Hence in the marginal portion there will be conduits surrounded. or rather partly surrounded, by l/2, V4 or other fractional quantities of the mass as compared with the normal amount of the mass .about most of the conduits. I designate such conduits as fractional ilow conduits and the inventioncontemplates supplying to such'conduits only the proper proportional 'parts of the flow for a normal tube or conduit. Thus a conduit surrounded by only V2 'the normal amount of contact material would receive only 1/2 the normal quantitlr of fluid, etc., thereby insuring for all practical purposes, uniformity of operation and of operating conditions throughout the converter. In other words each unit of mass is to receive a unit of ilow. f

The fractional ilow conduits may be partly embedded in the ller material or dummies, may be wholly outside the'same, or may be' mounted wholly within the dummies, The latter entirely enclose the internal Wall of the converter vand comprise or contain heat insulating material. Thus they protect ythe converter shell or wall from high reaction temperatures and at .the same time I check heavy heat losses to the metal wall with possible impairment of the reaction. 'I'he use and precured and then assembled in the converter f before the conduits are mounted. The preformed elements may be cast oi' heat insulating material alone or they may comprise an outer.A

' shell-of suitable sheet material, such as metal,

which serves as a form and which is retained as av protecting cover after the'illling material has.

been cured as a solid mass. y

In order 'to illustrate the invention concrete embodiments thereofare shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 -is a vertical sectional'view, substantially on the line l-I of Fig. 2, of a converter showingA certain parts in elevation. the contact mass in the reaction chamber being omitted for the sake of clearness; 1 y

Fig. 2 isa horizontal sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, but indicating a contact mass in place;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view on an en larged scale showing a modiiled arrangement. the contact mass and certain ofthe conduits being omitted for clearness;

' the outer row of conduit elements I4 and I5, as

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of a portion of the converter shown in Fig. 3, the conduits being shown without fins;

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of a sectional filler member or dummy; and

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

The converter shown in Figs. 1 and 2 comprises an outer' casing orshell 1 having a cover portion 'Ia and provided on its interior adjacent its upper and lower ends with internal fianges 8 and 9 on which rest upper and lower partitions or tube sheets I and II, respectively, which divide the interior of the converter into a large central reaction chamber A and upper and lower end or manifolding chambers I2 and I3, respectively. Mounted on upper tube sheet I0 and extending intoA reaction chamber A in symmetrical arrangement, as indicated in Fig. 2, is a series of uid distributing elements I4 connecting reaction chamber A with upper manifolding chamber I2. Similarly, aseries of fluid outlet elements I are mounted on lower tube sheet II to extend into reaction chamber A insymmetrical arrangement with each other and with distribut ing elements I4 to connect the reaction chamber to lower manifolding chamber I3. With this arrangement, it is obvious that fluids admitted to manifolding .chamber I2 are distributed by the perforated elements I4 within and throughout a contact mass such as M (Fig. 2), and that the reaction products are removed uniformly from a multiplicity of points within the `mass after a parallel flow movement through the latter. 'I'he distributing elements I4, as shown, comprise outer perforated conduits and smaller supply conduits I4a extending therewithin in spaced telescoping or nested arrangement (see the sectioned conduit I4 at the extreme left side of Fig. l) Only thev inner supply conduits I4a are connected to upper manifolding chamber I2, as indicated. The perforated conduit series I5 may consist of single pipes, as shown.

Reaction chamber A is restricted by a layer I6 composed wholly or partly of heat insulating material covering the inner wall o f casing or shell 1 and interposed between the latter and clearly indicated in Fig. 2. This layer may be advantageously formed by first mounting the outer row of conduits I4 and I5 in place and then applying the filling or insulating material like plaster or cement to fill the space between the conduits and directly against those portions of the same which face the converter wall.` If

also appliedr to the entire exterior of the con' verter. In this manner, the shell of the converter is fully protected against highI temperatures and abrupt changes in temperature. Tube sheets I0 and II may" alsorbe protected by heat insulating materiaL- suchas layers `I8 and I9,`

respectively, applied to either or both sides thereof, asl desired.' In fact, the entire interior of both-manifolding chambers I2 rand I3 may be sheathed with heat insulating material, if

desired.

Inasmuch as the conduits I4 and I5 of the aforesaid outer row are only partly surrounded by contact mass M and hence are utilized to supply reactant iiuids to or remove reactant 2, this modification of the outer row of conduits to effect fractional flow is automatically taken care of by disposing filler material I6 directly against the walls of the conduits, thereby block-l ing certain of the perforations or ports therein, and it is apparent byv an inspection of Fig. 2 that certain of the conduits in the marginal portions of the contact mass provide for various fractional parts of the normal fluid flow, such as one-third, one-half, two-thirds, etc.

In the modification shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the inner face of converter shell 21 is protected by a heat insulating layer made up of preformed and precured sections, such as 28, 29, and 30. In this modification, the sections which are mounted on diametrically opposite parts of the inner wall are identical and are given the same reference characters. These filler sections may be cast Wholly of heat insulating material which, after hardening and curing so as to resist the action of fluid reactants and the contact mass,l

are mounted on the inner wall by clips 3I or other securing means which will permit limited relative movement, the sections being installed before the inlet and outlet conduits are assembled within the converter. If desired, the insulating sections 28, 29, and 30 may have an outer covering or casing of sheet material, such as metal, of suitable strength to serve as a form, the same being lled with the heat insulating material which preferably includes a binder so that it will harden in place. The thicker sections, such as 30, may be provided, if necessary or desirable, with tie rods 32 to maintain the opposite sides of the sheet metal form in proper relative position. In any case, one side face of the filler sections is shaped to-t the inner Wall of the convertershell, while the other conforms to the pattern of conduits to be mounted within the lil reaction chamber, only sufcient clearance being provided to permit the conduits to be easily assembled in place. In Figs. 3 and 4, the two series of inlet and outlet conduits 24 and 25, re- Y spectively, are arranged according to a square pattern rather than in the hexagonal pattern shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Hence the inner configuration of the reaction chamber producedby vinsulating sections 28, 29 and 30 is generally octagonal rather than hexagonal, as shown in Fig. 2. The distributing elements 24 conform to distributing elements I4 of Figs. 1 and 2, in that they have a small inner telescoping supply convduit 24a. rIhe outlet conduits 25, however, are

of the same outer dimension as distributing conduits 24, andzhave therewithin inner conduits 25a for the passage of cooling or heating fluid which. is kept separate and distinct from 'either the reactant fluids or! the products ofthe reaction. 'Ihe `marginal or outermost row, made up of conduits of both series, is arranged for fractional flow of fluids substantially in proportion to the volume of the contact mass surrounding the same, but, in this instance, the flow is controlled by omitting some of the ports, rather than by blocking the same with insulating material, as was done in Figs. 1 and 2. Also, in the case of the outer row oi distributing conduits 24, inner supply pipes 24a have their ports or openings proportioned to the smaller number of ports in outer conduit 24, so that there will be an even flow through a lesser number of ports, but conforming to the normal flow through the ports of the full flow elements of the same series.

Fig. 3 illustratesI an arrangement designed for use with a contact mass which is a poor conductor of heat. To compensate for the low heat conductivity of the mass in the control of both endothermic or exotherxnic reactions, the outer conduits 24 of the distributing series have four straight iins 24h projecting into the contact mass, while the outlet conduits 25, (which have inner conduits 25a for an independent cooling or heating medium) have eight ns radiating therefrom, four of the ilns such as 25h, being straight, like the fins 24h on distributing elements 2d, and the remaining four fins being T-shaped as indicated at 25o and arranged to alternate with the straight fins 25h. Certain of the conduit elements of one or both series disposed in the outer row and arranged for fractional flow of"fluids may have iins varying in extent or numberto correspond to the 'variations in the volumes-of the contact mass adjacent thereto, including omission of dns incertain instances as indicated. Fig. 4 illustrates the arrangement when the converter of Fig. 3 is filled `with a contact mass which is a reasonably good conductor of heat. In'this instance,` all ns are omitted onboth the distributing series 2d and the outlet series 25, but the individual membersmaking up the outer row are arranged for iractional ilow.

Figs. 5 and`6 show'details of an individual ller section, such as illustrated in Figs.` 3 and 4, as well as a further modicaton in which perforated conduits are embedded within the filler piecev so as not to'extend beyond the outer wall thereof. prises an outer casing 35 of sheet materiaL'such as metal, which` serves as a form and enclosesy the mass 36 otheat insulating material which illls the same and has preferably hardened into a solid mass. The endwalls of the filler piece are recessed at intervals, as indicated at 31, to provide space for fastening members, such as the clips 3i illustratedA in-Flgs. 3 and 4, it being understood that similar recesses in an adjacent filler section or dummy will give clearance for the clip andy permit such movement of the filler sections or dummies relative to the shell of the converter as may resultvfrom temperature variations. If it isde'sired that certain of the conduits, either for distributing reactants or re-` moving fluid products,'be within the confines of the nller piece,`this may be eifectedby-entirely embedding the conduit within the illler member or by applying one .or more bent plates 3i!A (Fig. 6) to the inner face of that portion of the casing which is to be remote from the wallof the conforations, such as 39, through the outer casing, may then be provided, certain of which communicate with the conduits formed by plates 38 and others of which serve merely as vents for the interior of the filler case -to prevent distortion of" the same under operating.. conditions.

The illlerv piece, as illustrated, com.

The use of an insulating covering for the inner as well as the outer sides ofA the wall of the reaction chamber is highly important in the control of chemical reactions, especially when there is a sharp rise in temperature from one level to another, as for example-from` an endothermic reaction taking place at `about 850 F. to a strongly exothermic reaction at about 1050 F. Under such conditions it is essential for satisfactory operation that little heat be lost from the reaction zone either to atmosphere or through absorption assensible heat by the converter walls. Also since such operations are often conducted under pressure it is advantageous to keep the converter shell reasonably low in temperature on account of decrease in the inherent strength of such materials as carbon steel at temperatures contact mass served thereby bears such relation to the main pattern.

I claim as my invention:

l. A converter providing a reaction chamber having a contact mass therein, and a series of perforated conduits extending into said chamber and embedded in said mass in substantially symmetrical and parallel arrangement for supplying reactant iluids to said mass and/or for removing uid products of reaction therefrom, certain of said conduits being surrounded by and serving portions of the contact mass unequal in volume to the portions of the mass served by neighboring conduits, said certain conduits having p erforations providing a rate of now of fluid diering from that of said neighboring conduits of said series according to the relative volumes of said contact mass adjacent thereto so that the amount of iluid per unit volume of contact mass passing through the portions of the contact mass adjacent each of the conduits will be substantially the same.

2. A converter providing a reaction chamber having a contact mass therein, and full ii'ow and fractional flow perforated conduits extending into said chamber. and embedded in said mass in substantially symmetrical and parallel arrange.- ment for supplying reactant iiuids thereto and/or for removing fluid products therefrom, said fractional ow conduits comprising at least a portion of the conduits mounted nearest to the converter shell and being kat least partially surrounded by volumes of contact mass unequal to the volumes of'mass surrounding said full flow conduits, each conduitproviding for movement of fluid proportional to the volume of thecontact mass .adjacent thereto so that the amounts of fluids handled per unit volume of contact mass will be substantially uniform through all portions ofthe contact mass, through portions nearest the converter shell as well as through portions located toward the-centerber in substantially symmetrical and parallel arrangement and embedded in said mass, vone series of said conduits for distributing reactant uids all through the said mass, the other of said series of conduits for removing the products of reaction from a multiplicity of points within said mass, certain of the conduits of each of said series being adjacent and serving volumes of contact mass smaller than the volumes of mass adjacent to and served by the remaining conduits and being constructed and arranged to provide only a fraction of the ow of fluid provided by said remaining conduits of each of said series respectively,

. said fraction of flow bengproportional to the volume of the mass adjacent thereto as compared with the volume of the mass adjacent said remaining conduits so that the amount of fluids passing through contact mass adjacent each of said conduits will be substantially the same per unit volume of the mass adjacent thereto.

4. A converter providing a reaction chamber having a contact mass therein, two series of perforated conduits extending into said chamber in substantially symmetrical iand parallel arrangement and embedded in said mass, one series of said conduits for distributing reactant fluids all through said mass, the other of said series of conduits for removing the products of reaction from a multiplicity of points within said mass, a

number of conduits of each of said series, which .are located closest to the Walls of said converter per unit volume of contact mass passing through contact mass aroundconduits adjacent the said walls of said converter will be substantially the same as through portions of the mass disposed around said conduits located centrallyv of the aforesaid reaction chamber.

5. A converter providing a reaction chamber having a contact mass therein, two series of perforated conduits extending into said chamber in substantially symmetrical and parallel arrangement and embedded in said mass, one series of said conduits for distributing reactant fluids all through said mass, the other of said series of conduits for removing the products of i reaction from a multiplicity of points within said mass, a number of conduits of the aforesaid one series of said inlet conduits, which are located closest to the wallsof said converter being at least partially surrounded by volumes of contact mass smaller than the volumes of mass surrounding individual conduits located centrally of the chamber, said having a contact mass therein, two series of per.

forated conduits extending into said chamber in substantially symmetrical and parallel arrangement and embedded in said mass, one series of said conduits for distributing :reactant fluids uniformly all through said mass, the other of Y said series of conduits for removing the products of reaction from a multiplicity of points within said mass. one of said series oi said conduits havtional flow being adjusted in relation to the size of the ns of the other conduits of said series substantially in the proportion of the uid iow of said fractional flow finned conduits to that of the said other finned conduits, so that the heat transfer effected by fins on said fractional ow nned conduits will be to the heat transferred through ns on the said other or full flow nned conduits substantially in the same relation as the ow of fluid from or to said fractional flow finned conduits is to the flow of fluid from or to the said full flow nned conduits, so that the heat transfer which each of said finned conduits is adapted to provide will be vproportional to the quantity of contact mass served thereby.

'7. A converter providing a reaction chamber having a contact mass therein, a series of perforated conduits extending into said chamber and embedded in said mass in substantially symmetrical and parallel arrangement for supplying reactant iluids to said mass and/or for removing the uid products of the reaction, certain of said conduits being adjacent and serving volumes of contact mass differing from the volumes of mass adjacent to and served by the other conduits, said certain conduits having perforations providing a rate of flow of uid differing from`that of said other conduits and proportional to the relative volumes of said contact mass adjacent each conduit, so that the amounts of fluid per unit volume of contact mass passing. through contact mass adjacent each of said conduits will be substantially the same, and a layer of heat insulating material covering the wall of said chamber beyond the outermost row of said conduits.

8.'A converter providing a reaction chamber having a contact mass therein, full ow and fractional flow perforated conduits extending into said chamber and embedded in said mass in substantially symmetrical and parallelrelation for supplying reactant uids thereto and/or for removing uid products of reaction therefrom, said fractional flow conduits beingthose mounted nearest the converter shell and being adjacent to and serving portions of contact mass smaller in volume than the portions of mass adjacent to and served by said full flow conduits, said conduits providing a movement of fluid through the portions of contact mass adjacent to each in proportion to the volume of such portions of the mass, so that the amounts of fluids per unit volume of mass passing through the mass will be substantially the same for all portions of the bed of contact mass, through portions adjacent the converter shell as well as through portions located toward the center of the converter, and a mass of heat insulating material interposed between said fractional flow conduits and the converter shell to restrict transfer of heat to or from the latter.

9. A converter providing a reaction chamber having a contact mass therein, two series of perforated conduits extending into said chamber in substantially symmetrical and parallel arrangement and embedded in said mass, one series of said conduits for distributing reactant fluids all through said mass and the other of said series of conduits for removing the products of reaction Cil from a multiplicity oi.' points within said mass, each of said lseries of conduits having fins radiating therefrom, and a layer of heat insulating material around the inner wall of said chamber separating said contact mass from said wall, conduits of each of said series adjacent said layer of said heat insulating material providing only a fraction of the ilow of 'uid provided respectively by other conduits of each series which are located more remotely therefrom, the conduits which provide fractional ow having a reduced number of fins as compared with conduits located more remotely from said layer of said insulating material so that the heat transferred through flns on said fractional flow finned conduits will be related to the heat transferred by ins on the said other or full flow conduits of each series respectively substantially as the liow of fluid from or to the fractional flow conduits of each series is to the flow of fluid from or to the said full flow conduits of each series, respectively, thereby to-provide that the heat transfer effected by each of said finned conduits will be in proportion to the quantity of contact mass served thereby.

10. A converter providing a reaction chamber having a contact mass therein, full flow and fractional flow perforated conduits extending into said chamber and embedded in said mass in substantially symmetrical and parallel arrangement for supplying reactant fluids thereto and/or for removing fluid products therefrom', said fractional flow conduits being those mountedA nearest the converter shelland providing for. movement of uid through contact mass adjacent to each in proportion to the movement of vfluid through contact mass adjacent to and served by full iiowV conduits, and a mass of heat insulating material interposed between said fractional flow conduits and the converter shell to restrict transfer of heat to or from the latter, said fractional flow conduits being partly embedded in said mass of heat insulating material, thereby to restrict the distribution of fluids into said contact mass or withdrawal of fluids therefrom to a fractional portion of the periphery of each of said fractional ilow conduits.

11. In apparatus for effecting chemical reactions, a converter providing a reaction chamber -for containing a contact mass, the shell of said converter forming at least a part of the walls of said chamber, perforated conduits extending into said chamber to be embedded in said mass for distributing reactants therethrough and/or for removing reaction products therefrom, said conduits being disposed in substantially parallel and symmetrical relation to form a pattern within said chamber, certain of the conduits forming'the boundaries of said pattern being nearer said shell and adjacent and serving smaller volumes of contact mass than other conduits and meansA providing a layer of heat insulating material over the inner wall of said converter, between the latter and the outermost of said conduits, said insulating material being arranged so as to close a portion of the perforations in said certain of said boundary conduits thereby to proportion the iiow of fluid through the contact mass immediately adjacent said partially closed conduits, so that substantially the same amount of fluid per unit cross section of said contact mass which com,-

prises space occupying members covering the inner face of that part of said shell forming said walls of said reaction chamber, said members being of such shape and arranged so as to provide an irregularly shaped inner surface against which the peripheral surface of said body of contact mass will iit, and a plurality of full ilow and fractional flow perforated conduits extending into said reaction chamber, arranged in substantially symmetrical and approximately parallel relation, said fractional flow conduits'being among those mounted adjacent said space occupying members and having volumes of contact mass adjacent thereto and served thereby unequal to the volumes of mass adjacent to and served by said full flow' conduits, said conduits providing for passage of substantially uniform amounts of fluid per unit volume of the contact mass through all portions of 'the' same.

13. A filler member having a perforated fluid conduit imbedded therein and comprising heat insulating material, said member being preformed and precured to fit the inner wall of a reaction chamber and to serve as an insulating lining therefor, the perforations in the aforesaid conduit adapted to permit passage of fluid into or from said chamber when said ller member is in place therewithin.

14. A `l1er member or dummy adapted to line a part of the inner wall of areaction chamber and to form an insulating cover therefor, said member comprising heat insulating material preformed and precured and having a fluid conduit embeddedtherein, said conduit being per# forated at intervals and the perforations con necting with the exterior of said member on the side opposite to that which is to engage the wall of the reaction chamber for admitting fluid to or withdrawing fluid from said chamber.

15. A ller member adapted to line the inner wall of a reaction chamber and comprising an outer casing of sheet material filled with heat insulating material, and means within said member, adjacent said outer casing, forming a fluid conduit, said casing having perforations for ventf ing the insulating material therewithin and other perforations providing fluid communication between said conduit and the chamber, said conduit.

to be connected in fluid flow relationship with a space exterior to the aforesaid chamber.

THOMAS B. PRICKETT. 

